Alfred George Betts

Birth ref: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JWD4-XDZ

Probably emigrated to Wellington, NZ, with brother James Henry on the "Indemnity" arrived 19 Jul 1842, ref: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ourstuff/Indemnit...

Married in Nelson in 1847 (or 1844/5 suggested by death printout?)

Clerk, Auckland in 1851.

Appears to have moved with family back to Nelson.

The portraits attached to this profile were found in the Nelson Provincial Museum collection labelled "Betts, Mr". They could be of Alfred George Betts, or they could be of his brother, James Henry Lilley Betts.

Colonist, 19 Jun 1877, TELEGRAMS. MR ALFRED GEORGE BETTS, who has been a citizen of Nelson some thirty-five years, died very suddenly on Saturday morning. His wife on rising at the usual hour on that morning, noticed deceased place his hand to his forehead and give a slight moan, but as he had often of late made these signs no particular attention was paid to them. Some couple of hours afterwards one of his daughters went to call him, when she was alarmed to find him, as she thought, in a fit, but it was immediately discovered that he was dead. Deceased was a very zealous member of the Good Templar Order, and on Friday evening he attended his Lodge (the Loyal Nelson), when he appeared in excellent spirits, and besides performing his official duties gave two short readings. At a late hour the same evening, he was arranging the financial matters connected with the recent Good Templar entertainments, and when his wife requested him to leave the business until the next day, he replied "I am coming, but it is best for us to settle these matters, for there is no telling how soon we will be done with them." Since deceased joined the Good Templar Order on March 12th 1874, he occupied the office of the Worthy Financial Secretary in the Loyal Nelson Lodge, and he held a similar post in the Union of Nelson Degree Temple --- a higher branch of the same Order; both of which offices he filled with considerable ability. The funeral took place yesterday, and it was very largely attended. The procession was headed by the Artillery Band playing the Dead March in Saul, immediately following marched between sixty and seventy Good Templars; then came the hearse and ten carriages, deceased fellow-workmen, and a number of other citizens. At the grave, the Church of England service was read by the Rev. Mr Kempthorne, and that of the Good Templars by Mr Crawford, the Chaplan of the Loyal Nelson Lodge. Mr T. Shone acted as undertaker, and Mr. John Sherwood, senior, as marshal.

Nelson Evening Mail, 18 Jun 1877: The funeral of the late Mr A. G. Betts took place this afternoon and was very largely attended. The procession was headed by Brother Sherwood, followed by the Artillery Band playing the Dead March in Saul, immediately behind them being 70 or 80 Good Templars marching in pairs hand in hand. Then came the hearse, ten carriages conveying the mourners and friends of the deceased, and a number on foot. It was one of the largest funerals there has been in Nelson for a long time, and testified to the respect in which the deceased was held.

Wakapuaka Cemetery, Plot 034, Block 05